The Honour Code
by Arbmaster 16
Summary: Espio fears for the fate of his clan after not being in contact with them for years. Shadow joins up with him to uncover a dark secret amongst the caves of the Dragon Kingdom. Their journey sparks new emotion that Shadow can't yet understand. Is he changing and if so, can he accept himself? One shot (Although a really long one shot)


**Hey guys! I know this is a bit different for me but I wanted to give Sonic ff a shot and see how it turns out. As for the romance side, I've never written it before and am honestly no good at it so it very light romance and nothing too detailed. Hope you like it, enjoy ^.^**

**Also I'm not sure what it is about Espio and Shadow that I find so appealing, they're both awesome characters with different personalities compared to the rest of the Sonic cast. They just stand out for me, not to mention that Espio was my childhood hero while growing and always wanted to learn martial arts and have morals similar to his. Anyway, Shadpio ftw! :3**

_**Disclaimer: I own none of the Sonic characters, they belong to SEGA.**_

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His heartbeat mimicked his every step. Regular and dreary. The downpour combined with the clouded night sky was enough to keep anyone indoors surrounded by the blissful heat of an open fire, anyone except him. His subconscious was always alert as well as his instincts however he let his mind wonder. Thinking aimlessly for hours about his life as he walked with no destination planned. Lightning struck every now and then which frightened him yet he did not show any sign, plus it was thanks to that lighting that he saw the ocean before he walked clean into it. On top of a sharp cliff was where he stood, allowing the relentless, storm force winds to fly past him. He closed his eyes and simply listened, silently granting permission for the weather to drown out his thoughts. Another flash brought him back to reality and back to his train of memories. From back when he was a child in Shinobi to his depression which had been tormenting him for weeks. What was causing it? Was it the distance from his parents? Or was it perhaps the deep, unforgiving loneliness that followed him like a shadow despite his two rather quirky comrades. He had a watch on but he needn't look at it, his intuition told him that it was well past midnight. His conscious had made its choice, it was time to go home before the others got worried and tried to find him.

It felt like only five minutes before he silently crept through the door when it had actually been forty. He was unaware of the clock striking 1am. Using his ninja training, the chameleon managed to practically glide to his room without making a single noise. His light and agile body finally gave in to tiredness as he crashed onto his worn out but still comfortable bed. Despite his drowsiness, his mind wouldn't allow him to sleep, but even that got tired eventually and the lullaby of rainfall slowly drifted him off to sleep.

Oddly, Espio wasn't woken up by the sounds of Charmy yelling for breakfast to hurry up, instead he just… woke up, with no disturbances. The gentle warmth of the summer sunlight graced itself through his window onto his bed, keeping his legs snug and warm. He didn't get up for a good ten minutes at least, which was odd for him. He would usually be up at around 5am while it was still dark and meditate till the others got up and interrupted him without giving it a second thought. He lazily turned over to look at the clock on his bedside table, it read 3pm. Espio's eyes widened as he suddenly jumped out of bed with a rush of adrenaline.

"_Why didn't anyone wake me?!"_ He thought frantically as he swiftly moved downstairs and into the living room where he found… no one. What he did find however was a note on Vector's desk. It read:

'_Sup Espio,_

_I took Charmy out to get some groceries, well… some honey to be precise. We were out of it and Charmy wouldn't stop bugging me so if you're up before we get back, now you know why. _

_While I'm here though, I gotta ask if you're alright. You've been acting odd lately and as your friend (and your boss) I feel as if I should check up on you and see if you're alright. If you want to talk then you know where I am (literally)._

_We'll be back soon._

_Vector'_

The chameleon sighed, he was alone… again. In all honesty, he liked the other two being around even if they did try his patience. They kept him preoccupied for most if not all of the day and without them here then all he could do was think which led to another emotional downward spiral.

"_It always leads to that."_ He thought. At an attempt to distract himself, he turned on the radio to listen to some music. Some strange electronic, dance song was on which he was never really a fan of, but it was better than nothing. Unfortunately, the sounds grew rather hypnotic and he was sent into a whirlpool of daydreams linking to his memories. He shook himself out of it and turned the radio off. His breathing had quickened and his muscles were tense. Before getting up, the reptile rubbed his face and eyes with his hands and then went to the small backyard. Charmy and Vector never used it even when the weather was as exquisite as this. Despite its size, Espio saw it as a good 'training ground' and kept his skills as honed as they could be without the help of his Master.

It had been nearly 45 minutes and Charmy was still studying the many different brands of honey with killer precision.

"Can you hurry up?!" Vector groaned but Charmy took this very seriously and would not allow Vector's constant nagging to distract him.

"You don't understand how important this is! It's honey Vector! _Honeeeeyyyy!"_

The large croc rolled his eyes and kept looking around him in case there was anyone he knew that he could talk to.

"_No one but strangers."_ He thought to himself. His thoughts made their way back to Espio's strange behaviour. Maybe there was something wrong with him? But if there was, why wouldn't he talk to him about it? Did he not trust him?

"Got it!" Charmy yelled with excitement snapping Vector back from his thoughts.

"Oh… err finally! Come on let's go already."

"You got it boss!" The little bee said with his usual enthusiasm.

It didn't take long for the pair to return home. Charmy was eager to make some toast and smother it in the newly bought honey. Vector sighed as he knew that it would ruin his appetite before dinner but Charmy never listened, just acted on impulse leaving the consequences of his actions for later. Upon their return, they found the ninja lazing around on the sofa groaning quietly.

"Espio?" Vector said showing his concern. Espio was indeed a quiet and serious chameleon but he was never lazy which was why seeing him lying down was so odd for both Vector and Charmy.

"I'm fine." Was all he said. Vector narrowed his eyes knowing that he was hiding something. Charmy flew to him and smiled happily, Espio nodded in response. The little bee then caught sight of his left arm which had scratches all over and was bleeding.

"What's wrong with your arm?" Charmy questioned which caused Vector to immediately get up and grab his arm.

"Espio, what the hell happened to you?!"

"Stop it!" Espio demanded, yanking his arm out of Vector's grip. "You're overreacting. I only got it caught in some stinging nettles ok?" The crocodile raised an eyebrow at this.

"You mean the ones outside? But… you've never gotten caught up in them."

"I am aware of that. What's your point?" Vector glared at Espio's sudden irritated tone.

"Charmy, why don't you go play outside for a bit. I need to have a word with Espio." Charmy nodded and danced himself outside the door as if there was nothing going on. Once the door closed, the green reptile turned his attention back to the one in purple who was now sat up with his arms crossed despite his injuries. A long and uncomfortable silence lasted for several minutes before Vector spoke.

"Look, there is obviously something bothering you. So much that it distracted you and hurt your arm." While he was talking, he went to get a med kit for Espio's arm. He then sat next to him with a bandage ready. Espio held out his arm and Vector continued. "Whatever is on your chest now is the time to get it out and I won't tell anyone… unless you want me to." Espio turned away and closed his eyes while Vector continued to patch up his arm.

"I wish to return home." Vector suddenly became motionless and just kept staring at the back of Espio's head.

"But… you are at home." Vector nervously spoke. Espio sighed.

"The Dragon Kingdom!" The chameleon growled. The crocodile jumped at his friend's outburst and quickly finished on his arm. Vector said nothing else and simply went into his room and closed the door. Espio growled again and stormed out of the house, slamming the door. Charmy spotted him running off but for once decided to stay out of it and instead climb a nearby tree… by flying to the top.

Hours went by and the sun was beginning to drift below the horizon. Espio was still running with no plan and no thoughts on returning to the Chaotix HQ. He had passed a forest and a city but now he was in a desert. The sunset was clear and the chameleon had his eyes locked onto it while he was running. He was so taken by the sight that he didn't notice a black hedgehog skating next to him. The mammal smirked and thought about simply tapping him on the shoulder but that would've been too easy. Instead he moved closer to his ear.

"Boo." He whispered as Espio jumped up ready to attack. Shadow dodged with no problems allowing Espio to land on the floor in a daze. The hedgehog smirked again as he stood over Espio who looked up at him.

"Sh-Shadow?" He questioned as the hedgehog nodded back at him. "What are you doing out here?"

"I could say the same to you." Shadow responded while Espio finally noticed his surroundings.

"Where are we?"

"That is not important." Espio looked at him puzzled. "Just take in where you are for a moment." The chameleon did as instructed and allowed the warm desert air to embrace him. His eyes opened to Shadow staring back at him. The reptile's mind was calm as he spoke again.

"My apologies on my behaviour Shadow." The mammal nodded back at him.

"It's fine but you didn't answer me. What are you doing out here?" Espio thought hard for a moment before he answered.

"I had to get away. It sounds ridiculous I know but… I can't take it anymore; the same thing every day. If I could return to the Dragon Kingdom just once then I'd at least have some inner peace knowing whether or not everyone at my old home was alive and well." He then turned back to the sunset as it was getting dim but Shadow couldn't seem to break his lock on Espio. Something about the way he talks, the way he acts and his aura in general intrigued him greatly.

"Well Espio, I gather that it may have been a long time since you've been to the Dragon Kingdom and it may look a bit different from what you remember."

"How so?" Espio questioned. Shadow began pointing to the wasteland around them.

"You are standing in the Dragon Kingdom now." He said as he turned away from the chameleon knowing he would react badly.

"…Please tell me you're kidding?..." The hedgehog didn't respond yet the silence made his answer perfectly clear. Espio fell to his knees but swiftly got back up and stared desperately at Shadow. "What about the Shinobi?"

"If you remember where they are then you are welcome to go find them. From what I understand they are very secretive so I will respect your decision if you want to go alone." Espio looked at him, sensing that he wanted to come along knowing of his pain.

"Come with me Shadow. If the worst has happened then… I don't think I could handle it alone." He nodded back at the purple reptile as he led. He knew the way perfectly even without the landmarks of trees and rivers. They eventually made it to some mountains where there was an entrance to the caves below, carefully hidden amongst the peaks. Espio warned Shadow to keep close and be quiet, something which he had no trouble with. Torches came into view and so did a large cavern between them and the main entrance. Espio remembered the invisible path between the two ledges and led Shadow across by taking his hand, an action which caused him to blush a little but say nothing.

"Where is everyone?" Espio questioned but Shadow only shrugged his shoulders as they looked around the caves further. Kunai and shuriken stars were found dug into the rocky walls by those who threw them, this caused Espio to grow more concerned for the fate of his clan and Shadow could feel it as well. A faint whirring could be heard despite seeing no machinery of any sort whatsoever. Even Shadow raised a brow at this and suggested splitting up to cover the rest of the caves quicker. Espio agreed before running off down the long passage. The mammal, while obviously in a rush, still took more time to look around.

"_No blood, no bodies yet signs of a struggle. They were obviously taken… but to where?"_ Shadow thought. He found a large door which led to the Bride's chamber.

"Hello?" He said as he wondered in and began to investigate. No one was here despite his hopes. Upon studying the walls, he noticed burns from laser weapons everywhere. On the walls, the ceiling and the floor. It then hit him like a ton of bricks and whilst narrowing his eyes and gritting his teeth, Shadow growled the word "Eggman."

"Us sitting around here isn't gonna change anything. We should go out and look for him some more." A red echidna explains.

"Is Espio ever gonna come back?" Charmy cries. Vector puts a large but reassuring hand on the bee's shoulder.

"Of course he will Charmy but just to be safe, maybe we should do what Knuckles says." Charmy nodded and looked at Knuckles with big, hopeful eyes thinking Knuckles would have all the answers when really he was as clueless as everyone else.

"We're gonna need a search party." Vector said.

"I'm on it." Knuckles stated as he grabbed the phone and began to call people to join in the search effort.

In a matter of minutes, everyone from Sonic and Tails to Cream and Cheese where searching the land for the ninja. Even Omega and Rouge joined in but they were looking more for Shadow than for Espio. They split up into groups. One would search the city and surrounding areas, another would search the forest and a third would go further out and search the desert. Chaotix voted to go further out since they knew Espio better, he wouldn't exactly stick around. Knuckles went along with them in case they needed a bit of backup. Tails handed out some walkie talkies before they all went on their way.

It took a couple of hours and the night had well and truly settled in as they reached the desert. The land was cracked and dry with no chance of tracking Espio. One thing they did notice however was black streaks going across the vast openness. They inspected them further to find that they were burns. Vector was thinking intently trying to work out where they came from until Knuckles interrupted his thoughts.

"Now, who do we know that has fire on his feet?" The sarcasm made Charmy laugh but didn't hit Vector at all, he just kept thinking despite the other two knowing exactly who caused them.

"_Hmm… burns come from fire, they're on the ground and people walk on the ground, fire on shoes? OH!" _ He jumped out of his thoughts. "Shadow was here!" He exclaimed with pride but was quickly demolished when the other two lazily began clapping and smirking at him. He groaned sadly. The innocent bee patted him on the back and signalled him to follow Knuckles as they continued along their newly found black path.

Shadow ran out the room and ran back the way he came, looking for Espio. He halted when he heard a chilling scream in the distance.

"Espio!" He called as he flew through the caves as fast as his legs could carry him. It was a catacomb and the hedgehog struggled to find his way around. He was following the whirring noise to see if Espio had done the same. What he found was something he would rather forget.

An enormous room had been dug out and there were chameleons everywhere, all of them in Egg Grape Chambers. Upon looking up, Shadow saw two robots sealing a new chamber shut with Espio inside it. He could see Espio yelling "Shadow!" yet he could hear nothing.

"Greetings Shadow! I'm so glad you could turn up just in time to see this spectacle!" A tall man with a moustache said over an intercom. Shadow couldn't see him anywhere but knew he was here… hiding. Time was quickly running out. He thought about chaos blasting but then stopped himself once he realised that everyone inside would be nothing but ash afterwards. It then dawned on the unsuspecting hedgehog that he was panicking. Did he really care for the fate of the chameleon or was he just caught up in the moment? Either way he knew he had to free them for fear that he would regret it heavily if he didn't. As he scrambled his brain for ideas, the rest of the Chaotix ran in to see what was going on.

"Vector! Up there!" Charmy yelled, without even noticing Shadow. Both Knuckles and Vector looked up to see Espio fighting to escape the chamber to no avail. The echidna tried to break some of the lower chambers but again it had no effect. Charmy flew up to Espio and put a hand on the outside of his chamber. Espio does the same in return and looks deep into Charmy's eyes. He could see fear behind the bee's happy exterior. He knew what these things were and he knew what they did to him. The chameleon felt an unusual rage build up inside of him, partly because of what they did to Charmy but also because he feared that the same fate or worse would happen to him. The reptile was never scared of death but he did fear dying like this.

"Oh hohohoho! Greetings to you Knuckles and the rest of the Chaotix! Come to watch your friend die have you?" Eggman chanted over the intercom. The others ignored him.

"Charmy, go find some controls or anything which can shut this thing down!" Vector yelled over the noise of the Egg Grapes.

"You got it!" The young bee said with an oddly serious tone and expression before quickly flying away. Knuckles was on the walkie talkie calling for backup.

"The others will be here soon." The echidna said.

"How soon?!" Shadow butted in.

"I have no idea… what are you doing here?" Knuckles responded.

"I came here with Espio looking for the Shinobi. It's safe to say we found them." He said whilst pointing to the vineyard above them. Knuckles seemed confused but soon snapped out of thought when his talkie went off.

"We're nearing the mountains now! Just stall Eggman and get Espio to hang in there a little longer!" Sonic yelled. Vehicles could be heard in the background which explained how they got there so quickly. Meanwhile Shadow had leaped onto Espio's chamber and was trying desperately to get it open as the ninja watched helplessly. He had a worried look as he watched Shadow who looked either angry, determined or both. He stopped out of breath and looked at Espio with uncharacteristically worried eyes. The purple one noticed and again put his hand to the glass of the chamber, silently hoping that Shadow would do the same. He did just that. Espio smiled in response which gave Shadow a glimmer of hope.

"There are no control panels anywhere Vector!" Charmy yelled from behind the Egg Grapes.

"There's nothing?!" The croc asked.

"Well there is this big pipe here with a lightning bolt on it!" The little insect answered.

"That's the power!" Vector yelled. "We have to cut it!" Shadow instinctively began to cut through the pipe as well as Charmy. Eggman began to panic upon seeing this through a hidden camera.

"Argh! They are not going to be able to cut it in time if I activate the Egg Grapes now will they?! AHAHAHAHAHA!" He exclaimed as he pulled the lever which in turn activated every chamber in the room. The cave lit up like a firework display. Shadow turned to see Espio falling to his hands and knees in agony as well as the other chameleons. Charmy began to cry at the sight but Shadow ordered him to keep cutting if he wanted Espio to live. Sonic and the others showed up to the horrific sight of the entire Shinobi being murdered right before them.

"Go! Cut the power cable!" Knuckles yelled to Sonic who then leaped up to help Shadow and Charmy.

"Shadow?!" Sonic questioned as he began to cut the pipe.

"Not the time Sonic!" He yelled back angrily. Shadow kept glancing back at Espio to see if he was still alive but he looked paler and was lying on the ground.

"Come on!" He yelled in rage as he gave the pipe one last kick. The room shook a little but then the chambers stopped. Everyone gave a collective sigh of relief until they looked at the chambers. Every single one was still and lifeless.

"No… No!" Shadow yelled in fear as he saw Espio not moving at all and ran to his chamber. The Egg Grapes then opened and everyone rushed to the Shinobi's aid. A lot of the chameleons were dazed and confused but were alive nonetheless. Charmy found the Bride of Constant Vigil in a chamber at the back who remarkably was still standing.

"Is Espio here with you?" She asked as Charmy carried her to the others.

"Yeah umm… he was in one the chambers. I think Shadow has gone to help him."

"What?!" She suddenly began to show concern over her son's condition and prayed he was still alive. The rest of the crew then looked towards Espio's chamber as Shadow was in there by his side.

"Espio! God dammit speak to me!" The mammal yelled in fear as he tried to shake the chameleon awake. His eyes began to twitch and they slowly opened. Shadow froze hoping he would talk and say that he was alright.

"Sha…dow…" He struggled as he looked up at him. The hedgehog let out a small smile and picked up the exhausted chameleon, carrying him to the others. He began to talk to him on his way down.

"You scared me half to death you know that?" He chuckled nervously.

"I could… say the… same thing." He replied and coughed harshly afterwards.

"Shh…" Shadow said putting one finger over his lips. "You need to save your strength." He stopped and stared into Espio's golden eyes. "You can't die, not like this." Espio smiled and leaned his head into Shadow's chest before falling unconscious. The mammal checked his pulse to make sure he was still alive. He was but it was very slow which caused Shadow to let out one small tear fearing that Espio would simply die in his arms. Everyone gathered around the two and Shadow informed them on Espio's condition. The others cleared the way for the Bride to get closer to them. She stroked Espio's cheek and held his hand for a few moments. She then looked at Shadow and noticed a tear slowly going down his cheek. She nodded and put a hand on his shoulder. Shadow nodded in return and the Bride gestured for him to take Espio out of here. With no words, he did as instructed but was halted when a familiar voice began laughing at them.

"You thought it was over? OHOHOHOHOHO! Not by far my little friends! I have you all where I want you! Any minute now the most advanced Egg Fleet you have ever known will rain death upon you and those you hold dear! Farewell! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"That son of a-"

"Shadow!" Rouge cut him off before he finished his sentence.

"We must get outside and defend our home." The Bride ordered. "However, my Shinobi are too weak to fight…" Worry could be heard in her voice.

"Not to worry." Sonic jumped in sounding confident. "You've got all of us! There's no way that Egghead will get this place right guys?" Everyone let out a cheer and began to move out of the caves, everyone except the Bride, Shadow and an unconscious Espio who was still in his arms. The rest of the Shinobi were helped out of the caves by the others.

"Shadow." She started. "I request to fight by your side." The mammal looked at her confused.

"Why me?"

"I can sense the bond you have with my son, not to mention the fact that you saved his life."

"Not yet I haven't…" Shadow mumbled but the chameleon heard it nonetheless.

"I have a lot of respect for you despite your past." Shadow almost couldn't believe those words.

"_Respect? For me? No one has ever said that to me before… what do I do?" _He thought. "I will of course fight by your side."

"Very well. Follow me. We can put Espio in my chamber while we face our enemy." The black hedgehog nodded and followed her out of the vineyard.

Upon reaching the surface an astounding sight lay before them. A fleet was clear overhead in the perfect night sky while in the distance of the nearby desert, an ocean of metal was heading for Shinobi. Everyone was dumbstruck by the sheer numbers of robots; even Sonic had his concerns and was staying very quiet. As always, the odds were against them but the Shinobi leader was quick to get their attention.

"I can sense your fear. Eggman has quite the armada heading for us but I look at you all now as if you were my own Shinobi and I think about what you have all accomplished. Sonic, you have defeated Eggman on countless occasions and with Tails by your side for a majority of them. Knuckles, for generations your family has guarded the Master Emerald and Angel Island and to this day they both still stand tall just as you do. Vector and Charmy, even without Espio by your side you still fight as if he was with you. You have been there for him even when his own family wasn't and for that I owe you many thanks. Shadow, you have had a world against you and tragedy litter your past. While you may not know your purpose yet, just know that all of us have complete faith in you. I could go on about what you have all achieved but as you can see behind me, we are running out of time. I ask of you one thing. It isn't an easy task but it is necessary. Many generations of us have called these caves home and hopefully many more to come. Yes, we usually are very secretive and tend to only use knowledge as a weapon however, when our home is at risk and our only option is attack? We will band together and fight for every shred of honour we have or we will die trying. Who here will stand by our side and is not afraid of the consequences of war?"

A look of determination spread across everyone and a feeling of immunity was felt by all. Everyone cheered with their new found courage and set about creating teams to cover all areas. In only a few minutes, everyone was in position with walkie talkies as usual. The Bride and Shadow decided to cover the desert border alone. Each had a silent faith in each other and had their own purpose for making it out alive.

"Two minutes before attack guys. Good luck." Tails sounded over the talkie. Shadow and the Bride glanced over at each other and then back to the wall of robots making their way across the wasteland.

"It is all or nothing Shadow." She said without turning her head. He thought back to Espio but couldn't allow himself to get distracted as they both charged at the army with shuriken stars, kunai and chaos spears blazing. One by one, robots were falling at the feet of them both and the numbers were swiftly going down. Eggman, on board his flagship, sees the sudden drop in his troops and orders an aerial missile strike to hit Shinobi head on. Omega sees this and fires counter missiles. All but one hit their targets. Shadow notices the one remaining missile and uses chaos control to send it back to where it came from.

"Raise the shields!" Eggman orders and the missile explodes upon contact leaving the villain untouched.

"Damn!" Shadow yells.

"Focus hedgehog!" The Bride orders and Shadow continues to hold off the assault. He charges deep into metal before using a chaos blast, leaving a large hold where a few hundred drones once stood. The Bride was speechless at his power but remained focused for the sake of her clan.

"Eggman is sending everything he's got at us!" Tails yelled over the noise.

"Keep going Tails! They can't last forever!" Sonic replied. The Chaotix were holding them off well.

"Don't go too far forward Charmy!"

"Not a problem!" The bee replied, more hyper than usual from the adrenaline of the fight. He felt that he could take on anything and be a big hero. He charged with his stinger ready until one robot got a lucky shot and hit Charmy in one of his wings, sending him to the ground in an instant. Knuckles sprinted forwards to pick up the little bee before retreating back to Vector.

"Are you alright?!" The croc asked.

"I'm fine Vector… I just hurt." He stuttered from the pain and Vector held him tight while Knuckles continued to hold them off.

"Charmy's down! He's been hit in the wing. Can someone get him inside?" He said over the walkie talkie.

"I've got him." Shadow said, appearing out of nowhere.

"Who's guarding the front?" The echidna questioned.

"The Bride has it under control." He said before rushing off with Charmy in his arms.

"You're awesome Shadow…" Charmy said feeling a little light headed. Shadow let out a small smile but not enough for Charmy to notice. He took him to the Bride's quarters where Espio was still out cold. He laid the bee down and covered him with a small blanket before kneeling down next to Espio. He still looked so pale. He looked…dead. The mammal checked the reptiles pulse again but it had not gotten any quicker. Shadow felt another tear begin to trickle down his face but wiped it away instantly and got up. The caves began to shake violently as another salvo of missiles fired from a different flagship. Omega again countered but not quickly enough. At least half of the salvo made contact with the ground above Shinobi causing an earthquake to tremble the caverns beneath. Large boulders began to fall from the ceiling and caves began to collapse. Shadow began to panic and picked up Espio while he ordered Charmy to get on his back and hold on tight. The Bride ordered everyone to help evacuate Shinobi saying that there were too many to hold off especially with more missiles inbound. A lot of them were awake making it easier to get them out as larger rocks were coming down and blocking entire corridors.

"Where do we take them?" Shadow asked over the walkie talkie.

"Deeper into the mountains. There is another cave system, it is harder to get to but at least it is intact." The Bride took point as they began their journey into the mountain range. Knuckles, Vector and Sonic took point, destroying any robots in front whilst Rouge, Omega and even Amy held them off from behind. The sun was beginning to rise with blissful pinks and purples flooding the horizon. Shadow's gaze was set upon the dawn with memories of him and Espio in the desert screaming back to him. He could feel himself welling up again but swallowed it down to avoid embarrassing himself. He was the strong silent type whose life was shrouded in mystery, was it ok to feel emotion? He spent most of the journey having a moral war with himself not even noticing that Eggman and his armada had backed off.

"There." The Bride began. "That cave leads to another underground network of tunnels. I must ask all of you to keep its location a secret; for the sake of our survival it must not be revealed. Do you understand?" Everyone nodded in unison before she allowed them inside to settle down. Some of the less affected warriors laid out a large rug for the others to rest on including Espio and Charmy. Vector knelt down and began to bandage the bees injured wing. He shivered in pain but the croc reassured him.

"You were real brave today little guy… even if you were a bit reckless."

"Sorry, I just wanted to be a big hero like you and Espio." He looked down in shame.

"Even us _'heroes'_ can get hurt. We're not invincible you know." He sighs. "Just look at Espio…" The chameleon was still not awake and everyone around him was getting worried wondering if he would ever wake up.

"Shadow, may I speak with you for a second?" The Bride spoke up. Shadow looked puzzled but nodded in agreement before he followed her out of the room with everyone fixated on them.

"What do you think that was about Omega?" Rouge whispered to the robot companion.

"Not. A. Clue." He said with his usual emotionless drone. Meanwhile in another parts of the caves, the Bride of Constant Vigil was trying to get Shadow to be up front with his emotions. She wanted answers and she was going to get them.

"I know very well that you don't tend to help others unless there is something in it for you." She argued. "I wish to know what it is you are after." The mammal sighed and turned away from the stubborn chameleon. He said nothing and simply thought back to Espio, knowing that she knew it was to do with him.

"It is my son, is it not?" The bluntness of her statement caused a sudden heat in his cheeks. The Bride noticed this and smiled knowing she had yet again hit the nail on the head.

"I see. There is nothing wrong with that." Shadow quickly turned with wide eyes.

"Don't you Shinobi have traditional values?"

"We have open minds. It is our fighting style and adopted strategies that have the more traditional approach." Shadow calmed a little but was still uncomfortable with her being able to read him perfectly.

"I shall let you go. We are all thinking of him Shadow. Do not worry yourself too much, you did all you could." She then returned to the others leaving Shadow alone with his thoughts.

"I could've done more…" He whispered to himself before burying his face in his hands. A small black and yellow insect came walking round the corner towards him. He sat down next to the hedgehog and mumbled something about not being able to fly for a while.

"Things could be worse."

"How's that now?" The insect questioned.

"Well… never mind. Are you worried about Espio?"

"Of course I am. He's like my big brother and to see him like that scares me." The bee began to cry picturing his friend in his current condition. Shadow put a hand on his shoulder and allowed a few tears to escape him. Charmy noticed and began to get curious.

"Are you worried to?"

"Yes I am. More than you can understand." Charmy almost felt insulted when Shadow doubted his intelligence.

"I'll have you know I can be quite grown up. You can talk to me Shadow, I won't tell anybody." A puppy-eyed look appeared on his face which Shadow saw as more creepy than cute.

"It is no concern of yours. I wish to be left alone." Charmy saddened at this but agreed and patted Shadow on the shoulder before he walked away. Just before he left he said one thing.

"You know Shadow we aren't mind readers. If you want something to happen then you'll have to show it." Shadow looked up at his smiling face before he left him thinking about what he said. He let out a breath before he walked outside to watch the sunrise. A small peak provided the perfect view and Shadow tried to relax. He stood with his arms crossed and a million thoughts running through his head. The grace of a cool summer's breeze brushed through his quills giving his fur a feeling of refreshment. Of all the things to come to his mind, Maria wasn't one of them. He actually liked the view which was rare for him. Was he beginning to appreciate the smaller things?

"You're going soft Shadow, snap out of it." He growled to himself and began to head for the desert without looking back. Meanwhile in the caves, Rouge and Omega were getting restless.

"Where did Shadow go?" She kept asking which irritated the nearby echidna.

"You don't have to stick around you know. If you wanna go then just go." The bat smiled seductively.

"Won't you miss me big guy?" A blush was clear on him and the others began to smirk and giggle under their breath.

"No I won't… just go already."

"Whatever you say big red." As she flew away, signalling for Omega to follow. The two were gone in minutes. Vector got up and went over to a flustered Knuckles.

"Damn, she really does get under your skin huh?" Knuckles huffed.

"She's just irritating that's all. I'll be fine; she's easy to forget about." Smiling as he said it. Vector chuckled and looked over to Charmy was talking to Espio despite his unconscious state.

"You know, Shadow came out of nowhere and carried me to safety. He's so cool! I think you'd like him. He's really fast like you but nobody is as good of a ninja than you are because you have a lot of patience to put up with me and Vector." He stopped suddenly and looked very saddened. His voice began to tremble and tears ran down his face. "I know I can be a pain but I don't know what we'd all do without you. I also know that people underappreciate you but I don't. I think you're the best big brother I could ever have. Please don't go Espio…" Vector began to cry at the sight. Never in his life had he seen Charmy so upset, never in his life had he seen Espio so close to death. He kneeled down and hugged the bee tight. Charmy nuzzled into his shoulder and broke down for fear that one of his closest friends wouldn't last much longer.

In one of Eggman's abandoned bases, Shadow was trying to hack a computer. The difference between this one and all the others he could've chosen was that this was the one that he and Espio used to get into the Mad Matrix. He remembered back to how he did it the first time and simply punched the console allowing a portal to open. He smirked and then saddened.

"Nothing's changed." The black hedgehog whispered before jumping into the matrix once again. The digital realm was clearly abandoned with no guards and the once vibrant colours now being heavily faded. In a sense, it was just like Espio. Only a few hours ago was he a healthy chameleon with his bright purple body and usual life issues like everyone else but now he was almost grey in colour, fighting for his life whilst unconscious in a cave. The ninja could not escape his thoughts this time. Seeing him in that chamber was haunting him and driving him madder by the second. The mammal turned to see, out of nothingness, Espio generate before him, pixel by pixel till he was stood next to him.

"That's not possible…" He mumbled.

"Shadow, thanks for your help earlier. Actually, I need to extract some data out of Eggman's database. Feel like lending me a hand?" Shadow couldn't believe what he was hearing. The entire mission they both went through was saved on Eggman's computer meaning he could relive it, as much as he wanted.

"Of course… Espio." A smile grew on his face which the reptile noticed and smiled in return.

"Eggman's guardian mechs! Don't let them shoot us! Let's try slipping past them…"

"_These were not here earlier…"_ Shadow thought.

"This is a barrier set to keep out any intruders." Shadow remembered these as being a real pain and didn't miss them whatsoever. A couple of digital diamonds appeared from nowhere which was another aspect of the realm that Shadow wasn't fond of.

"Attacking these things makes them split up into multiple units! Be careful!" Shadow yet again smiled at Espio's concern for his safety but shrugged it off knowing that he was like this with all his allies. Shadow, as much as wanted to, didn't destroy any guards. He remembered how attacking them would alert Eggman to their presence and so he kept his distance with the reptile following behind him. After another colour coded gate, they reached the first terminal.

"That's one of the terminals Vector told me about!" Upon contact, a beam of light carried them upwards to reveal the other three towers they had to breach. Shadow remembered them all but the Espio from the past was just learning about them.

"Alright let's… what?! The data is fragmented! These terminals aren't linked!"

"It'll be alright. Let's go." An unusual reassuring tone could be heard in Shadow's voice. He knew he cared about him, he realised it now. Just being in Espio's company gave him certainty and reassurance, something that had been missing for the majority of his life. He had made his choice, he would enjoy his time with the digital Espio now but once he was out, he would return to the Dragon Kingdom with a plan in case Espio took a turn for the worse. Together, the duo flew through the data stream and activated the remaining three terminals. It was a few hours of bliss for Shadow, his worries were washed away and he was ready to face the harsh reality yet again.

"You've been a great help."

"Thank you, Espio." He smiled at the grateful hedgehog who then decided to hug him tight before he disappeared back into the computer's memory.

"I now know what I must do." He then swiftly left the room and darted back to the Dragon Kingdom. Once he arrived at the desert, thousands of Eggman's robots were stood in his path. It's not that Shadow wasn't used to obstacles but it was the urgency to get back to Espio that gave him the determination to get through them as quick as possible. It was daylight now and the blistering heat was wearing Shadow out quicker than the robots. It was just a never ending abyss but at the other side would be answers, safety and the one thing he cared for the most. After 4 horrific hours, he made it to the mountain border.

"You had better be alive." He growled in exhaustion but knew he didn't have the time to rest as he had to traverse the peaks to get to the new Shinobi caves. What was maddening sunshine became a tormenting snow storm. The peaks were under attack from an arctic coldness. Shadow really believed that everything, even the uncontrollable elements were against him. He couldn't help but question if he was doing the right thing. If he truly cared then surely he should let him go? A nearby rock made a great punch bag as Shadow released some of his frustration.

"I had made my choice once and now I'm going back on it again!? Dammit! What should I do?" His surroundings seemed familiar. The hedgehog then began to look around him, this was the peak that he was stood on before to watch the sunrise. He studied the cliffs below to see a cave entrance. His eyes widened, he was there, but would he enter or leave again?

Charmy had finally gotten to sleep. The others were tired to but not enough to drift off. Knuckles was chatting with Vector about what to do when this was all over to which Vector replied "We'll see what becomes of Espio first." Amy, Cream and Cheese were sat in a corner chatting about other things like the sudden blizzard outside while Sonic and Tails were talking to the Bride to see if her clan needed anything else.

"We are usually very independent, this was an exception."

"Alright." Sonic said reluctantly. "But don't hesitate to ask. As we all saw, it's better to have help than to perish alone." Tails looked at him with widened eyes in response to his dark statement.

"Yeah… what Sonic said." Nervousness was clearly heard but Sonic ruffled the fur on his head before sitting back down.

"Where did Shadow go again?" Vector asked. Knuckles shrugged not really caring about the black hedgehog. While they got on, they never talked much.

"Seriously, he was practically all over us earlier, Espio especially but now he's nowhere to be seen?" Knuckles shrugged yet again.

"Come on Vector, you know Shadow. He never sticks around for anything unless it's related to chaos emeralds, Maria or the ARK." He was right to some extent.

"I'll have you know that you are mistaken." A familiar voice said from the entrance.

"Oh hey Shadow, decided to come back did ya?" Vector spoke up. The mammal nodded.

"How's Espio doing?" A question which made both Vector and Knuckles raise an eyebrow.

"Don't take this the wrong way." Knuckles began. "But why do you care?"

"Now is not the time for that." He said dryly as he approached Espio with a sleeping Charmy next to him. Vector and Knuckles looked at each other, both of them clueless about Shadow's sudden concern for the purple chameleon. The hedgehog felt his pulse again.

"Knuckles, what is the extent of the Master Emeralds power?"

"Why do you ask?" The echidna responded.

"You will see." As cryptic as it was, Knuckles answered him anyway.

"Well… you know how you need all 7 chaos emeralds to perform miracles? The Master Emerald can do that on its own." Shadow nodded with a saddened look as he looked back at Espio. He felt for his pulse again only this time he held his hand. Vector and Knuckles noticed this instantly while everyone else seemed oblivious to it. Shadow began to tremble and his breathing grew very heavy. His eyes closed and tears began to run down his fur. Vector got up and put a hand on Shadow's shoulder.

"Not once have I seen you cry Shadow. What is it?" Shadow didn't answer Vector but instead got up and looked helplessly at Knuckles.

"Can it bring people back?" Trembling as he said it. Knuckles jaw dropped when he realised what he was saying.

"Oh no…" Knuckles whispered while Vector still looked confused at the two. Shadow put a hand on the reptile's shoulder and whispered "I'm sorry." Vector stared back at Espio in shock and fear hoping that Shadow was just being mysterious and not hinting towards what he thought he was. The hedgehog knelt back down and took Espio's hand once again.

"It is not over yet. I can still save you, just give me a chance. Knuckles?"

"Yeah?"

"We need to get to the Master Emerald." The echidna suddenly caught on.

"Whoa wait? I've never used the Master Emerald to reverse death before. How do you know it'll work?"

"I don't." He said calmly. "But we will never know unless we try… right?" Knuckles nodded and so did Vector. He woke up Charmy and told him that they were taking Espio somewhere special without telling him that he was currently dead. The bee yawned and snuggled into Vector's shoulder as he began to carry him. Shadow picked up Espio and looked at the Bride.

"Aren't you coming?" He asked.

"I must stay with my clan and ensure their safety. I trust you Shadow." The black hedgehog nodded and returned to Knuckles.

"Do you know where Angel Island is?" The red echidna asked.

"Of course."

"Well if you can chaos control us there then that would be appreciated."

"Understood. Chaos… Control!"

From snow to sunlight in an instant. They landed in the middle of a jungle and they all looked to Knuckles for answers.

"I know the way to the shrine. Follow me." Knuckles insisted and the others agreed without question. It was a long walk and the jungle environment didn't make it any easier. Whilst they all struggled through the dense jungle, Shadow fell into a whirlpool of daydreams. Some were about his plan not working and what he would be like after and others were about Espio coming back and him confessing his feelings which linked to more dreams, some where Espio accepts him and others where he is rejected. He tried to think of every possibility and prepare himself for it but deep down he knew that if Espio didn't make it… he didn't want to think about it.

"There it is." Shadow returned to his current situation to witness a majestic shrine appear before them.

"It's getting dark Vector… I'm scared." The bee moaned.

"Scared of the dark?" He questioned since Charmy had never brought it up before.

"No… if this doesn't work then that'll mean-"

"Don't think about it Charmy. If we all have faith in him then he'll make it." Shadow butted in. Charmy smiled with the little hope that he was given. Knuckles gestured to lay Espio in front of the Master Emerald. Shadow backed off after to let Knuckles get to work. The three stood in awe of the emerald's beauty, all of them wanting the same thing for different reasons.

"The servers are the seven chaos. Chaos is power, power is enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the chaos. Only you can do this! Bring back our friend… his death was too soon!"

"Wait, he's dead?!" Charmy panicked.

The Master Emerald illuminated the entire island as it burst into life. They all had to cover their eyes for fear of blindness. A blissful heat could be felt from the chaos energy. Vector held Charmy tight who buried his face in the reptiles shoulder to cover his eyes while Shadow simply raised his arm. The light lasted a minute or two before gently fading into an eerie, green glow. Everyone opened their eyes in unison and locked their gaze on Espio who was still lifeless. Shadow ran to him and kneeled by his side.

"Please… please say it worked." Shadow begged and looked to Knuckles.

"Sorry, even I have no idea." Shadow gripped the chameleons hand tightly as everyone else looked on helpless. He still did not wake.

"Damn you Sonic…" Shadow muttered.

"How's that now?" Knuckles questioned.

"Think about it, Sonic thinks his fight between himself and Eggman is just one big game regardless of the rest of us. Vector, I hate to bring this up but you know what happened to Charmy in those Egg Grapes, it could've all been avoided if Sonic took the threat seriously. Even to this day he thinks it is just a bit of fun and now the exact same thing has happened to Espio all because Sonic doesn't realise that Eggman simply wants us all dead!" Everyone was speechless, they couldn't argue when they all knew that Shadow was absolutely right. Eggman could've been taken care of years ago and in turn none of this would've happened. They also knew that Sonic had morals and he didn't like to kill or even hurt anybody so it eventually rested upon whether which one was more important; sticking to your morals which can cost lives or breaking them to keep others safe? Shadow looked back to Espio to see no changes. A distraught look appeared on his face as he closed his eyes and looked to the ground. His hold on Espio's hand tightened while he felt a squeeze in return. Did he imagine that?

"Es-Espio?" He stuttered for fear that his mind was playing games. His grip tightened yet again and Shadow's jaw dropped as his eyes widened. Even Knuckles was shocked that they actually pulled it off. He had to admit he had his doubts whilst still trying to remain hopeful. Charmy and Vector both ran to Shadow and Espio in sheer disbelief. The colour in his body was slowly returning and his eyes opened to firstly see Shadow and then the other two watching over him.

"Espio! Espio! Espio!" Charmy yelled in complete joy and excitement. Vector tried to calm him and eventually had to drag him off to have a word with him. Knuckles, sensing that they needed some time, wandered off and left the two alone. It took a minute for Espio to regain his hold on reality but he soon came round and sat up. Shadow smiled at him not sure what to say. Espio returned the smile which made the hedgehog feel a warmth that he had missed. A serious expression then presented itself on the hedgehog's face.

"Is everything ok?" Espio questioned. Shadow stared at him directly in the eyes before suddenly giving the chameleon a tight embrace.

"Don't… leave me again." He whispered in his ear. Espio seemed shocked at his sudden forward actions but returned the hug.

"Shadow, how are you feeling right now?" Espio's bluntness with his questions came as no surprise for Shadow. He actually liked that trait about him since he was no good at being up front especially with personal issues.

"Relieved and happy. Why?" Espio gave a devious grin.

"That happiness you feel. What's the reasoning behind it?" Shadow rolled his eyes trying to avoid the deeper truth behind it.

"Maybe because you're alive? Did that not cross your mind?" His sarcastic tone made Espio more convinced that was on to him.

"Don't go down that road. What is the _real_ reason for it?" Shadow bit his lip slightly and turned away from the ninja. Espio spoke again, this time in a calm and reassuring tone. "You can trust me Shadow, you have my word." The mammal suddenly felt calm and content upon hearing his last comment. He relaxed instantly and sat down next to him looking the reptile in the eyes as he answered.

"These past few hours have been mental hell. I even went back to Eggman's base and relived our mission into his database."

"Y-you did?"

"Yes. While I knew it was just a digital version stored in the computer's memory, I still felt secure around you and I felt like I had a new purpose for being alive." Espio couldn't help but be curious.

"What is that new purpose Shadow?" The hedgehog smiled being silently thankful that he asked.

"To be by your side." While his comment was somewhat cryptic, Espio understood exactly what he meant and he couldn't help but smile. The chameleon glanced down to see his hand looking a little lonely and slowly took hold of it. Shadow tightened his grip in return whilst showing a look of content. He let his head rest on Espio's shoulder as he purred with happiness. The other three looked on, smiling like little kids. Even Charmy shed a few tears of joy not only to see his big brother alive, but happy as well.


End file.
